Certain water heater appliances include a tank therein. Heating elements, such as sealed systems, gas burners, electric resistance elements, or induction elements, heat water within the tank during operation of such water heater appliances. Operating the heating elements in order to heat water within the tank consumes valuable power and/or fuel. The heating elements generally heat water within the tank to a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is generally selected such that heated water within the tank is suitable for showering, washing hands, etc.
Demand for heated water often fluctuates. For example, heated water demand may be high during morning hours when residents of a house frequently take showers. Conversely, heated water demand may be lower during working hours when the same house is empty. Heated water demand may also be low during night hours when residents of the house are sleeping. Operating the heating elements in order to heat water within the tank to the predetermined temperature during periods of low heated water demand can be inefficient due to the low demand for heated water.
To limit power or fuel consumption of water heater appliances, certain users of water heater appliances equip their water heater appliances with a timer. The timer can deactivate the water heater appliance during periods of low heated water demand in order to conserve power and/or fuel. However, operating water heater appliances with a timer can cause certain difficulties.
Certain water heater appliances include an anode rod that assists with limiting or preventing corrosion of a tank. The anode rod corrodes and loses mass over time in order to protect the tank. However, corrosion of the anode rod is difficult to track. Certain water heater appliances include a circuit that tracks or measures a voltage difference between the anode rod and water within the tank in order to determine whether the anode rod is protecting the tank. However, such circuits do not track or monitor depletion of the anode rod. In addition, measuring the voltage difference between the anode rod and water within the tank with the circuit is difficult during power outages or when a timer interrupts a power supply of the water heater appliance. Thus, during power outages or timer interruptions, the anode rod may continue to corrode and protect the tank despite the circuit being unable to monitor or detect the anode rod.
Accordingly, a method for determining whether a water heater appliance operating with a timer switch would be useful. In addition, a method for tracking or monitoring depletion of an anode rod of a water heater appliance that is operating on a timer switch would be useful.